Charge and receive data with light: TCL Communication/ALCATEL ONETOUCH and Sunpartner Technologies announces the first fully integrated solar smartphone

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Feb 24, 2014, 08:50 ET

BARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TCL Communication (ALCATEL ONETOUCH and TCL) and Sunpartner Technologies today unveiled a smartphone that can recharge itself by light (Wysips® Crystal).

Seen for the first time at Mobile World Congress 2014, the smartphone demonstrates the real world effectiveness of this technology to enhance battery lifetime and deliver access to critical handset functions even when the battery is drained.

To date, Wysips® Crystal has a maximum yield of 2.5 mW/cm² with 90% transparency. Potential applications include integration into feature phones or low-end smartphones for developing countries because Wysips® Crystal technology can extend battery life by 20% when the device is exposed to natural light. It also yields usability benefits for developed markets by ensuring that critical applications – calls, texts, remote payment, health applications, e-boarding passes, etc. – are always available.

This smartphone is also available in the Wysips® Connect version, which enhances Wysips® Crystal by making it Li-Fi (Light Fidelity) compatible. This technology enables the device to simultaneously recharge the battery and transmit data by light waves (VLC- Visible Light Communication) without drawing on the battery.

Dan Dery, Chief Marketing Officer said, "This is a very exciting collaboration, using cutting edge photovoltaic technology to extend the battery life of smartphone devices and to ensure that users always have access to their most critical applications. As consumers become ever more reliant on smartphone technology for all aspects of their daily life, it is essential to investigate and utilize new technologies to deliver and enhance user experience."

Ludovic Deblois, President and Co-founder of Sunpartner Technologies said, "From the beginning we have been driven by the conviction that any surface can be made 'smart' through innovative solar technologies. Our Wysips technologies for solar recharging and / or LiFi transmission are mature. They meet the needs of increasingly networked users for always-charged devices, and are leading the trend in connected objects. Thanks to our partnership with TCL Communication, our promise of smart surfaces is now a reality."

This demonstration of the prototype marks the latest step in the companies' twelve R&D projects integrating Wysips® Crystal technology. It is the result of collaboration to position the PV component in an optimal position in the smartphone, to integrate the electronic chip that connects the PV component to the battery, and to integrate the Wysips® Connect feature, which is compatible with LiFi.

Visit ALCATEL ONETOUCH (Hall 6, stand 6C30) and Sunpartner Technologies (Hall 5, stand 5B61) at Mobile World Congress to test the prototype for yourself.

Notes to editors:

Presskit and Images available on request

About Wysips® Crystal Technology
Wysips® Crystal transforms any surface into a solar panel that can generate its own energy from natural or artificial light, without affecting the design. It is a photovoltaic component that is ultra-thin (500 microns max) and transparent. Placed between the screen and the touchscreen layer of the mobile phone, the component recharges the device's battery when it is exposed to light, whether artificial or solar.

The Wysips® Connect version is Li-Fi compatible, enabling the mobile telephone to receive and transmit data over light waves (VLC-Visible Light Communication) without using the battery.

About ALCATEL ONETOUCH
ALCATEL ONETOUCH is simple, unexpected, down to earth, irreverent and colourful. We believe that what makes technology smart is what you can do with it rather than what it can do.

ALCATEL ONETOUCH is a brand within TCL Communication, an international multicultural company which designs, develops, and markets globally a growing range of mobile and Internet devices. TCL Communication is a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (2618.HK) and part of TCL Corporation one of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world.

ALCATEL ONETOUCH is a SMART MOVE.

For more information, please visit www.alcatelonetouch.com.

About Sunpartner TECHNOLOGIES
Founded in 2008, Sunpartner Technologies is an engineering company specializing in Solar NETs (New Energy Technologies). They develop independent energy solutions that are integrated into smart surfaces and are invisible. Based in Aix-en-Provence (France), the company has a team of 40 employees.

Sunpartner Technologies has regularly received awards both for its innovation and from the business community, such as the Nobel Sustainability® Clean Tech Company award in 2013 and Technology Pioneer 2014 from the World Economic Forum.

http://www.sunpartnergroup.com

SOURCE Sunpartner Technologies